Two sessions of psilocybin‐assisted psychotherapy resulted in reduced heavy‐drinking days and other alcohol‐related problems relative to placebo plus psychotherapy in a randomized trial involving patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). There were no serious adverse events associated with psilocybin administration, and no signs of psychotic disturbances. Study results were published online...
Psilocybin is being studied for use in treatment-resistant depression. In this phase 2 double-blind trial, we randomly assigned adults with treatment-resistant depression to receive a single dose of a proprietary, synthetic formulation of psilocybin at a dose of 25 mg, 10 mg, or 1 mg (control), along with psychological support. The primary end point was the change from baseline to week 3 in the...
Abstract The l ‐tryptophan decarboxylase PsiD catalyzes the initial step of the metabolic cascade to psilocybin, the major indoleethylamine natural product of the “magic” mushrooms and a candidate drug against major depressive disorder. Unlike numerous pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)‐dependent decarboxylases for natural product biosyntheses, PsiD is PLP‐independent and resembles type II...
single a Researchers investigated the effects of single doses of 25 mg, 10 mg, or 1 mg (control) psilocybin over 12 weeks in 233 patients with treatment resistant depression. They were given the treatment in specialised rooms designed to provide a non-clinical and calming atmosphere where a specially trained therapist was available to provide psychological support. The psychedelic effects of...
Depression ranks first among psychiatric disorders that dominate the global burden of disease, posing a substantial personal strain and economic drain on nations.1 At least 30 drugs are Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved to treat depression,2 yet a systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 antidepressants concluded that although they were more effective than placebo in adults with...
4-Phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (psilocybin) is a naturally occurring tertiary amine found in many mushroom species. Psilocybin is a prodrug for 4-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (psilocin), which induces psychedelic effects via agonist activity at the serotonin (5-HT) 2A receptor (5-HT2A). Several other 4-position ring-substituted tryptamines are present in psilocybin-containing...
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), characterized by abnormally persistent and distressing memories, is a chronic debilitating condition in need of new treatment options. Current treatment guidelines recommend psychotherapy as first line management with only two drugs, sertraline and paroxetine, approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of PTSD. These drugs have...
Introduction: Magic (Psilocybin) mushrooms are used as hallucinogens, renal dysfunction as a rare side effect has been reported in literature. We chronicle a rare case of acute kidney injury and hypertensive emergency precipitated by psilocybin ingestion in a young female. Case Description: A 31-year-old female with good overall health and medical history of well controlled Hypertension (HTN)...
Mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety are major contributors to the overall global health burden. COVID-19 has further aggravated mental health disorders and also increased substance abuse due to lockdowns1. The Global Burden of Disease reported that the pandemic has led to a 27.6% increase in cases of major depressive disorder (MDD) and a 25.6% increase in cases of anxiety...
Abstract Patients characterized by stress-related disorders such as depression display elevated circulating concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines and a hyperactive HPA axis. Psychedelics are demonstrating promising results in treatment of such disorders, however the mechanisms of their therapeutic effects are still unknown. To date the evidence of acute and persisting effects of...
Psychedelic medicine is currently undergoing a renaissance, with interest in the medical use of these compounds exploding after decades of dormancy.[1][1] This has occurred primarily under the purview of medical researchers; however, recent legal precedents in Canada have allowed some access to
Abstract Objective Using a patient‐informed regimen, we conducted an exploratory randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study to systematically investigate the effects of psilocybin in cluster headache. Background Sustained reductions in cluster headache burden after limited quantities of psilocybin‐containing mushrooms are anecdotally reported, although to date there are no controlled...
Psilocybin is an emerging potential therapy for the treatment of psychiatric illnesses. Microdosing has been shown to result in an overall improvement in patients with anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse. This meta-analysis explores and compiles prior research to make further inferences regarding psilocybin and its use for the...
Many species of Inosperma cause neurotoxic poisoning in humans after consumption around the world. However, the toxic species of Inosperma and its toxin content remain unclear. In the present study, we proposed five new Inosperma species from China, namely, I. longisporum, I. nivalellum, I. sphaerobulbosum, I. squamulosobrunneum, and I. squamulosohinnuleum. Morphological and molecular...
Background: Psychedelics are receiving renewed attention within Western medicine as they represent potential treatments for many difficult-to-treat mental health disorders. However, psychedelic science is limited in its focus and inclusion of racial and ethnic minorities. Hence, this study examines whether race and ethnicity moderate the associations that naturalistic...
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant public health concern for which existing therapies are only marginally effective. Indisputably, the primary line of treatment for PTSD is psychotherapy, according to current treatment guidelines. However, PTSD continues to be a chronic condition even after psychotherapy, with high psychiatric and medical illness rates. There is a dire need...
Background: Psilocybin is being studied for depression, but little is known about how it interacts with common antidepressants. Limited data suggests that psilocybin’s effects may be diminished by serotonergic antidepressants acutely and even after a medication washout period.Aims: To learn the extent to which serotonergic antidepressants may diminish psilocybin’s effects both concurrently and...
Background: A trial of psilocybin (COMP360) versus escitalopram for major depressive disorder (MDD) was reported as negative, as there was no significant difference in the primary outcome, mean change in the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology–Self-Report (QIDS SR-16). However, analyses using three other depression scales (17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HAMD-17],...
Our findings suggest that the acute perceptual psychedelic effects induced by psilocybin may stem from drug-level associated decreases in the occurrence and duration of lateral and medial frontoparietal connectivity motifs. We apply and argue for a modified approach to modeling eigenvectors produced by LEiDA that more fully acknowledges their underlying structure. Together these findings...
BACKGROUND Psychedelic substances have demonstrated promise in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Significant media coverage has been dedicated to psychedelic medicine, but it is unclear whether the public associates psilocybin with its potential therapeutic benefits. The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in depression, anxiety, and substance abuse in the...